EU enlargement accelerates as Albania closes another negotiating chapter
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said the European Union’s enlargement process was gaining momentum. She confirmed that Albania was expected to provisionally close another negotiating chapter today, covering enterprise and industrial policy. The decision was due during the 10th Albania–EU Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Montenegro provisionally closed three …
Albania’s Prosecutor General and media regulator sign agreement to combat digital piracy
Albania’s Prosecutor General, Olsian Çela, has met with Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) Chair Armela Krasniqi and signed a memorandum of cooperation to establish and operate a task force against digital audiovisual piracy. Under the agreement, AMA will report suspected criminal offences to the competent prosecution offices. The authority will also …
Private operators account for 92.7% of Albania’s rail freight transport
Private operators accounted for 92.7% of Albania’s rail freight transport, measured in tonne-kilometers, in 2025, according to the national statistics agency INSTAT. The figures appear in its report, “Transport in Figures 2025”, which highlights the dominant role of private companies in the sector. Rail freight transport reached 17 million tonne-kilometers …
Transparency Board sets new fuel price caps
Albania’s Transparency Board has set new fuel price caps, effective from 14:00 on October 13. Diesel may cost no more than ALL 219 per litre at retail and ALL 207 per litre at wholesale. Petrol prices may not exceed ALL 196 per litre at retail and ALL 184 per litre …
Albania’s journey towards European Union membership
Albania’s accession talks with the European Union began on July 19, 2022. Today, the 10th Albania–EU Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg is expected to provisionally close Chapter 20 on Enterprise and Industrial Policy. This would bring the number of provisionally closed chapters to four. In October 2024, Albania opened its first …
Albania’s vehicle fleet exceeds one million
Albania had 1,048,092 road vehicles in 2025, up 9.3% from the previous year. Passenger movements through land border crossings also increased, rising 6.5% to 28,421,891 entries and exits, according to the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT). Passenger cars accounted for 80.8% of the vehicle fleet, followed by motorcycles at 6.1%. The …
EU negotiations chapter 20 opens opportunities for Albanian businesses
Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj said the closure of Chapter 20 marks an important step in Albania’s European integration. The announcement came during the 10th Intergovernmental Conference between Albania and the European Union in Luxembourg on Tuesday. She said Albania had worked intensively over the past year to meet …
President Begaj opens Dritëro Agolli house museum in Devoll
President Bajram Begaj attended the opening of the house museum of renowned Albanian writer Dritëro Agolli in Menkulas, Devoll, on the 95th anniversary of his birth. He described the museum as a national act of gratitude and an investment in Albania’s cultural heritage. Begaj said Agolli was one of the …
Migjeni, poet of social suffering and hope
Albanian writer and poet Millosh Gjergj Nikolla, known by his pen name Migjeni, was born in Shkodër 115 years ago. His work brought open protest, dreams of a new world and deep optimism to Albanian literature. Migjeni wrote about the social hardships faced by ordinary people in the Albania of …
Rama in Luxembourg to Attend the 10th Albania-EU Intergovernmental Conference
Prime Minister Edi Rama will attend the 10th Albania-EU Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg on Tuesday. In a Facebook post, Rama said that Albania is marking another important step towards European Union membership. He added that the formal closure of negotiations on Chapter 20, “Enterprise and Industrial Policy,” is expected to …
Albanian skier Lara Colturi is preparing for her next challenge as the new Ski World Cup season gets underway in Sölden, Austria. Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Blendi Gonxhja shared footage of Colturi during training and wished her success in the upcoming competition. “Lara Colturi is ready for her next …
Albanian Defence Minister Ermal Nufi met with Major General Roberto Vergori, the new commander of NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR), in Tirana on October 20. They discussed KFOR’s role in ensuring security and stability in Kosovo and maintaining peace across the region. During the meeting, Nufi highlighted the importance of KFOR …
Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu has reaffirmed the government’s readiness to hold talks with students and citizens, while ruling out dialogue with those who damage public and private property. In an interview with Klan News on October 20, Koçiu condemned the violence during recent protests in Tirana. She said …
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has invited protesting students and university lecturers to talks, saying he and his government are ready to meet anyone willing to engage in dialogue. In a video posted on social media on October 20, Rama said he remained available for discussions. To underline his offer, …
Albania will be represented by 12-year-old singer Eslin Kurti at the 2026 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which will take place in Ta’ Qali, Malta, on October 24. Kurti will perform “Kërce me mua” (“Dance with Me”), a song that aims to bring energy, rhythm and a message of unity through …
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has responded to protests in Albania, Belgium, France, Italy and Portugal. Türk condemned all acts of violence during the demonstrations and called on all parties involved to immediately ease tensions and prevent further escalation. According to the senior UN official, the best …
Albanian and Turkish naval forces held a joint exercise in the Bay of Vlora and the naval base in it. The activity took place under NATO’s Neptune Strike 26-4 programme. The exercise involved Turkish warships TCG Anadolu and TCG Gaziantep, aircraft and the Albanian Boarding Team. According to the Ministry …
Kosova remains at Tier 2 in the US State Department’s 2025 report on human trafficking. The report notes more funding for victim assistance and more convictions, but highlights gaps in law enforcement, identifying children forced to beg and providing long-term support. Police investigated four trafficking cases in 2025, down from …
Ahmet Prençi, commissioner of the Ombudsman’s National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture, presented preliminary findings from monitoring police stations, the Security Block and the University Trauma Hospital on October 19. He said the investigation continued. Police escorted 50 people to stations, including 18 minors. The Security Block held 109 …
Demand for loans from businesses and individuals increased in the third quarter of 2026. Banks expect this trend to continue in the final quarter, according to the Bank of Albania’s lending survey. Businesses increased borrowing across all size categories for investment and liquidity needs. Higher investment needs, inventory financing and …